Is It Hate? More Like Love
by Attharun
Summary: AU. I just looked at him one day, and, bam! I like him... AC


Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, I don't own Gundam Seed. So nobody kick my ass, okay?

A/n: Happy Birthday to Kira and Cagalli. And to everyone who, by any chance, is celebrating their birthdays today. And in exactly one month, it's gonna be my birthday too. Not like you care. Well, on with the birthday fic, and tell me if it's good or not.

_What is wrong with me?_ Cagalli asked herself over and over again. _I mean, I can't like _him. _He's so arrogant and all, and a spoiled rich kid. That is such a turn-off for me. But…I guess I just looked at him one day and bam! I like him. And yet I don't like him._

_So why? Why are you attracted to him, Atha?_ She argued with herself as she walked to her classroom in a hurried pace.

"Cagalli!" someone called out. She spun around and saw her brother Kira and Lacus catching up to her, holding hands.

_You are not jealous of them, you are not jealous, you are not-_

"Hi, Kira, Lacus," Cagalli greeted.

"So what are you gonna do on your birthday?" Kira asked.

"Hey, it's _your_ birthday, too," Cagalli pointed out.

"I know," Kira said sheepishly. He grinned. "I'm going out with Lacus."

"I think I'll watch some DVD's or something," Cagalli said, nonchalant.

"Cagalli, you can come with us," Lacus suggested. "We're going to the carnival!"

"Nah that's okay, I wouldn't wanna interrupt your 'alone time'," Cagalli replied while looking at Kira.

"That's the same thing Athrun said," Kira frowned. "Well we got to go. First period's in a minute. Less, even." With that, Kira and Lacus rushed off to the classroom with a white door.

Kira and Cagalli didn't have any classes together. Same with Lacus. But she had first period with…

Him.

_Kira's so lucky,_ Cagalli thought. _He doesn't need a birthday gift, he has Lacus. All I want for my birthday is for Athrun Zala to like me. But with all those stinking girls chasing him around-_ a couple dozen women were following the footsteps of a raven-haired guy on the hallway-_would that even happen?_

Later…

"…and then the star, after billions of years, will go supernova, and then become a black hole. A black hole will suck entire planets, and will trap even light, which will be reduced to the size of a carbon atom," Professor Dullindal went on and on about the life of a star.

Cagalli, on the other hand, was in her own world with Athrun. They were dancing with no particular music, Cagalli twirling around and around and around and-

"Miss Atha!" the professor thundered.

"Um, yes sir?" Cagalli stammered.

"Tell me, what will become of our sun billions of years later?" Dullindal demanded, knowing that his student did not listen to a word he said.

"I-I don't know, sir," Cagalli sighed. Dullindal raised his eyebrow and moved on to the student sitting behind her.

"Mr. Zala, will you repeat what I said earlier?"

"Yes professor," Athrun said. He stood up. "Since the sun is medium-sized, at least in theory, it will most likely become a red giant, go supernova, and then will become a black dwarf star." He sat down.

"Very good, Athrun. Did you get all of that, Cagalli?" Dullindal pressed his lips together.

"Y-yes, sir," Cagalli pretended to rummage into her backpack to hide the blush on her face that was starting to show.

_He's sitting behind me? Dammit!

* * *

_

Meanwhile, Athrun Zala sat on his chair, bored. He'd been asked to answer a question when the person in front of him couldn't. And now he was bored. He rubbed his temples with his hand.

He knew who that blond-haired girl in front of him was, of course. After all, he and her brother were best friends. Athrun found this girl, Cagalli Yula Atha, different from the other girls in school. She was one of the few who didn't run after him every time he got out of a classroom. Athrun would find himself smiling when Cagalli got mad over trivial things. He liked everything about her. Her blond hair, her eyes. Especially her eyes, a beautiful shade of amber that could've been gold. And whenever he looked at those eyes, he felt a warm, glowing feeling.

_I've never said anything, have I?_ He thought. _No one knows that I've got feelings for her. I don't want to tell her, because I fear rejection. But if she goes out with someone else, I'd kick that guy's ass, and then I'd have to tell Cagalli why, and then…and then…_

The bell rang. Everyone tore out of the room at inhuman speed.

_That was fast,_ Athrun thought.

Actually he'd been thinking a long time.

He noticed that Cagalli didn't move. _She probably didn't want to join the crowd, either._

Cagalli was putting-okay, dumping-her stuff into her bag when she saw a pair of black leather shoes. She looked up.

"Oh, hi, Athrun," Cagalli said, trying to sound casual even when her heartbeat increased tremendously.

"Hey, Cagalli. What are you doing for your birthday? Kira told me he's going out with Lacus," Athrun said just as casually.

"Yeah, he told me. And I'm not doing anything on my birthday."

"You wanna hang out? I don't have anything else to do anyway," Athrun offered.

"You don't have to-," Cagalli began. Athrun put a finger on her lips. Her eyes widened.

"Yeah, I don't have to, but I want to," he said. He gave her a small smile.

"Well, okay then," Cagalli replied. She stared at the linoleum-tiled floor and pursed her lips.

"Thanks," Athrun said before he exited. _Whew,_ he thought. _I'm glad she didn't yell or anything._

"Did that just happen?" Cagalli whispered. She walked out the door.

_Well, it's not a _date, she thought. _He just feels sorry for me 'coz I wasn't gonna celebrate my birthday. Figures. Well, at least Wednesday won't be so gloomy anymore._

After school, Cagalli walked inside the house she shared with Kira. She found her brother and Lacus sitting on the couch, watching TV.

"Oh, hi Cagalli. Are you sure you're not coming?" Kira asked.

"I can't. Athrun Zala's invited me to go out. He said he had nothing to do," Cagalli said like it was no big deal.

Kira grinned. "That's good. He's a nice guy. You won't get bored with him."

"Maybe he likes you, Cagalli," Lacus said suddenly, her blue eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"W-what made you say that?" Cagalli managed to say.

"It's just a guess, of course," Lacus said with a smile.

"He never told me anything," Kira said, frowning.

"I'll go upstairs and study," Cagalli said hurriedly. "I'll leave you two alone." With that, she ran up the stairs, went in her room, and closed the door behind her.

"What's with her?" Kira wondered. "Usually she'd ditch her homework and watch TV with us."

"Yes, she is acting weird," Lacus licked her lips, thinking. Her boyfriend stared. He was starting to get ideas. (And I thought Athrun was horny)

"Do you wanna…?"

Lacus shrugged. "Okay."

Kira lifted her up and walked her to his room. You know the rest.

Cagalli could hear moaning sounds coming from the next room. _Lovebirds,_ she thought as she rolled her eyes.

* * *

Monday… 

BRRRRIIIIINNNGGG! The bell for second period rang.

"Hey, Athrun," Kira said. He sat on the chair next to his best friend.

"Hi. Um, where's Lacus? Isn't she supposed to be with you?" Athrun said, distracted with his laptop.

"Athrun," Kira reminded him, "Lacus isn't the same class as us during second period, remember? So is Cagalli."

"Huh?" Athrun closed his laptop. "Oh, I forgot."

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing."

Kira continued to look at Athrun questioningly.

"Okay, okay. I… like your sister," he mumbled.

Kira gasped. Way, way too dramatically. "Is this true? You like my spoiled, I-don't-care-what-you-think-I'll-just-kick-your-ass sister? Wow."

"I should not have told you _anything_," Athrun mumbled.

"Tell her!"

"I can't."

"Yes you can!"

"No I can't."

"Yes you can!"

"No I-,"

BRRRRIIIIINNNGGG! The bell rang again. The teacher, Professor La Flaga, wasn't there yet.

"Tell her," Kira ordered. "Or…"

"Or _what_?" Athrun demanded.

"I'll tell her myself," Kira said with a smirk.

"No! Don't! _I'll_ do it!"

"Okay. When?"

"In ten years."

"The best time to do it is on her birthday, Athrun. You're going out with her, aren't you?" Kira said.

"But she hates me," Athrun protested. "She thinks I'm stuck-up."

"Who told you that?"

"You did."

"Oh yeah."

_Flashback…_

"_Hey, Kira," Cagalli said. "I don't like that best friend of yours. I think he's stuck-up. And arrogant. Not to mention a playboy. Why do you have friends like that?"_

"_Hey, _he's_ the only friend I got who's like that," Kira replied._

_"That's not the point."_

"_You like him."_

_Cagalli picked up a hard-bound textbook and slammed it on Kira's head._

"_Ow!"_

"Sorry I'm late, class," Professor La Flaga apologized. He flashed the students a smile. Half the female population squealed. "Now, let us begin with…"

Later, after last period…

Cagalli quickly put her stuff in her sling bag and went out the door. She never realized that Athrun was still there and that…

"Cagalli, you left your…" Athrun ran to the hallway but didn't see her. He went back inside and looked at the blue book with a jeans design, which was lying open on the desk.

_I don't know why,_ it read. _I have absolutely no idea why I like this jerk. When was I ever the type of person who liked someone who's being constantly being chased around by his local school fan girls? If I could describe him in one word, it would be " stuck-up". I hate him. And yet I like him at the same time. I like his blue-violet hair. His eyes, and his smile. I…I want to tell him I love him, but I can't. For some reason…_

Athrun stopped dead. Blue-violet hair? Being chased around by fan girls? Stuck-up?

_Flashback…_

"_She thinks I'm stuck-up."_

"Me? She likes _me_?" He couldn't even describe the happiness he felt. If he was a million miles away, in an open field, lying on the grass and looking at clouds, Cagalli beside him, he could not have been more thankful to God.

Athrun wanted to tell Cagalli that he liked… loved… her too. But now was not the time.

_Flashback…_

"_The best time to do it is on her birthday, Athrun…"

* * *

_

Two days later, at Kira and Cagalli's house…

Cagalli took out a light green dress-with a white sash around it-from her closet. She never wore it, but today was special. _Besides,_ she thought, _it almost matches his eyes._

Just after she had combed her hair, she heard a knock on the door.

"Cagalli?" Athrun's voice.

"Coming," Cagalli said. She opened the door.

Athrun swallowed. "You look… great."

"Don't think I'm gonna wear this again," Cagalli said impulsively.

"Well, shall we, Ms. Atha?" Athrun held out his hand. She took it.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll know when we get there."

They went down the stairs where Kira and Lacus were.

"Bye, Cagalli, Athrun," Kira said.

"Bye," Lacus echoed. They went out and hopped in Kira's red Ferrari.

"Let's go," Athrun said.

Thry went out of the house. Athrun opened the door of his black McLaren F1 for Cagalli. Then he went in. The engine vroomed to life as soon as Athrun turned the key.

"Will you tell me where we're going?" Cagalli said, annoyed.

"Somewhere quiet," Athrun answered.

"That was not the answer I was expecting to hear," Cagalli said.

Everything was silent after that. But they were both deep in thought.

_What if I break down and tell him? I don't want that to happen, _Cagalli thought.

_I hope I won't screw up when I confess to her,_ Athrun thought, biting his lip.

After what seemed like hours, Athrun stopped driving. But Athrun didn't make a move to go out. So did Cagalli.

She was surprised when Athrun handed her a blue book. Her diary.

"You forgot this two days ago. I was gonna give this back to you yesterday, but I forgot."

Cagalli quickly grabbed it. "Did you read it?" she glared atAthrun.

"No," Athrun said. "I knew it was yours so I didn't open it." _Well, it's partly true. I didn't open it. It was lying open. It's different._

"You better not have read it," Cagalli said impulsively.

"I didn't, okay?"

"Well? Are we just gonna sit here?" Cagalli asked.

"Oh, sorry," Athrun said. "Wait here," he went out of the car and took some stuff from the trunk and disappeared behind some tall grass.

Cagalli looked at the darkening sky. She noticed that the setting sun was beautiful from here. The moon was just peeking out of the sky.

The sound of footsteps made her look away. She saw Athrun a few feet away.

The green-eyed boy opened Cagalli's door. He held out his hand again. Cagalli took it, and locked her fingers with his, which caused Athrun to smile.

He parted the tall grass where he went through earlier, and Cagalli was surprised to see a picnic mat with plates of food and a cake. There was a candelabra at the center, the candles all lighted. The place looked awesome.

"Is it… okay?" Athrun said with an edge of nervousness.

"It's great!" Cagalli exclaimed. She hugged him. She let go a short while later.

"Um, I'm sorry."

"No, it's alright."

They sat across each other, Indian-style, on the soft blanket. Athrun opened the bottle of white wine and poured it into two glass goblets and gave Cagalli the first one. They shared a toast.

"Happy birthday, Cagalli," Athrun said with a smile.

"Thank you Athrun."

They ate some of the food. Athrun got a shrimp from a plate and tried to make Cagalli eat it.

"For your information, Mr. Zala, I don't need to be fed," Cagalli said. A blush appeared. "Why are you doing this, anyway?"

Athrun looked away. "I'm sorry." He accidentally dropped the shrimp.

"What's wrong with you?" Cagalli asked.

Athrun finally faced her. "I love you, Cagalli. That's what's wrong."

"What?" she muttered.

"Look, I wouldn't have told you but… I-I can't take it anymore. See, I've looked at you for years and wondered if you were just a friend or… something else. But if you don't feel that way, just say so and I'll never bother you again." _What if Cagalli doesn't like me anymore? Isn't that possible? What if…what if… _Athrun trailed off. He looked down and stared at the ground.

"That wasn't what I was going to say, okay?" Cagalli cried. She stood up.

_Oh no, she's leaving,_ Athrun thought. He looked up to see where she was going. He didn't have to look far, because Cagalli was kneeling right next to him.

"Cagalli…?"

"I love you too, Athrun," Cagalli said. She kissed him. They fell on the grass, Cagalli on top of Athrun.

BEEP-BEEEP!

"What the-,"

"Hey guys!" Kira hopped out of his red car, which was hidden by thick strands of tall grass. "We saw everything!"

"I told him not to, Cagalli, but he wouldn't listen," Lacus said apologetically as she went out of the Ferrari.

"Kira Yamato! You've just signed your own death warrant!" Cagalli yelled. She then chased her brother around the meadow, Kira running as fast as he could.

"Hey, Kira!" Athrun hollered. "Can I have your wristwatch collection when you die?"

"Athrun, you're my best friend, save me!" Kira screamed as Cagalli caught up to him, and started punching and kicking.

"Sorry, Kira," Athrun replied. "But no one can save anyone from Cagalli."

A/n: Finally, it's done! I'm kinda surprised that this fic is six pages long. Well, hope you enjoyed! Happy birthday, twins!


End file.
